< < < DEAR DEVs: A letter from the Base Builders > > >

I call things like I see them. My apologies if I offended anyones delicate sensibilities.

Like...ouch??

Har har har.. ;D

P.S. I'm not your friend. Wake up and realize that bases will get nothing just like pvp got nothing other than being dumbed down . Go ahead and do your little crusade. It won't make a diddly squat bit of difference. What you people fail to recognize is that the whole hype around bases involved PVP. Bases won't be fixed until pvp is fixed. Thats a nobrainer. Keep pissin in the wind..

Always remember: any thread requesting developer attention for any aspect of the game is an opportunity to complain about PvP, which has been Hard Done By and don't you ever forget it.

More on topic, it seems like base builders have not forgotten the non-base-building majority in their feature request lists, which is a smart move. Devs like to make changes that get more people interested and involved in an aspect of the game. This is a good thing when they are advised and aided by people already involved in and knowledgeable about that aspect. A community perceived as too insular, hostile to outsiders, and unwilling to consider changes will be ignored, to the detriment of all concerned.

The Base building community was the one held up as the "example of how to organize" before Issue 13 when the PvP crowd was up in arms. The PvP crowd then started to get their concerns together like we do, and then the PvP system was revamped. Unfortunately for them, they didn't get what they wanted. I'm a little worried about what could happen to the base building system if we get that kind of attention, but I am willing to take the risk.

tl/dr

I often wonder how the conversations run in Paragon Studios in respect to bases. Is there less emphasis because there's a perception of less interest on the parts of players. If someone said, for example, "Well.. not enough players engage in base edits to warrent an overhaul" then I'd counter or concede based off of more information. If truly, a fraction of a percent had interest, then it may be futile to expect changes which require a great deal of time when the whole of or larger parts of the community also have needs. But, if anyone is discounting the fact that most SG's usually do not provide edit rights to all members (less access does not mean less interest) then I'm all for begging as I'd love to see far more with bases.

Perhaps it's just the cultural habits of my server (Virtue. No one groan, please. I know where everyone lives ) but I've noticed interest in terms of player-created personal housing. A popular thing to do here is create a supergroup of one (or one's own characters and/or a few friends) to build private apartment homes. My opinion but anytime players are building personal investments, they are more reluctant to leave. Whether we 'purpled-out' or mains or amassed billions if influence, earned millions in prestige or made way too many costumes ... we just bind ourselves to the environment as much as we bind to the characters. Sure, you can make the same name, similiar costume, same backstory in another superhero MMO... but can you take your **** with you? No. Why investing in bases and/or player housing might be profitable.

On that note, I'd love to see actual player-housing physically attached to supergroup bases. Imagine clicking on the base portal and seeing the same menu: Your Base (SG), Coalition 1, Coalition 2, etc.. but at the bottom would be "Your Housing". Or... seeing that once you are inside the supergroup facility (a way to access your own private room). Right now, the only way to have your own room inside an existing group base is for the leader or base editor to provide you space or edit permissions. The larger the group, the more unlikely this is due to space limitations, attritrion or ability to accomodate schedules. Something like this (personal player housing attached to a supergroup) would provide advantages to the player (attachment, ownership, personalization) and the group (more emphasis on community building than players segregating into 150 tiny SG's). I could go on forever.. permissions for others to visit or view your space, a one for one prestige matching program in which every bit of prestige you earn would be placed in the overall SG totals for the big facility and also in your private housing for decor and private storage.

I should go before I spend 8 hours typing walls of text.

Just to throw my Support behind Am Angel's request for base love. I was hoping ultra mode meant alot was going to happen for SG bases, i.e. transparent and reflective surfaces, I'm hopfully for the future this will be addressed.

I love the idea of the apts or even having personal rooms that the sg member can have permission to decorate to their own liking.

I'd also like to see training rooms added not unlike what we have in the vanguard base in RWZ

I'd like interfaces to WW's and AE too

I also think a accoldae for SG's that have all the SG badges would be cool. Perhaps it could unlock access to the Freedom Phallax SG? Maybe a contact or 2 to talk to there

More items, more items, more items and item colorization. More Wall and floor options. actual doors and the ability to put things in doorways.

[On a personal note an improved ease for stacking abd effects, I'm legally blind so some things in base edit are a real pain for me]

Thx AA for trying to give voice to what many are frustrated over and Thanks Dev's for listening

So, here's my question. What does a base represent to the Dev's? I think it's painfully clear the long list of what they can be to the playerbase. But, what is the defining function of a base to the developers? Has anyone ever talked about the direction the company would like to take bases? Are we getting "soon"s and "we're working on it"s because they haven't really decided what a base should be? I'd like a comment from War Witch about her vision and the company's goals for bases. I don't need a timeline, just a statement about the direction and what type of functions we can look forward to when something does happen.

Yeah, not a fan of the manner in that at all...
We share common goals, however, and I understand where you're coming from.
As has been pointed out, the double doors was a bug. Bugs can be weird and shouldn't be left in for the cool feature they provide (Although, I agree that, something that cool should have been properly implemented when being taken out... if at all possible).
The clear panels, obviously, were missing the SG symbol, so yeah, that was a feature in giving people those symbols. Again, it seems to me that they should have given us a blank option when making that fix (If at all possible).

However, my biggest issue with your O.P. is overlooking the awesomeness that was removing the pathing issues and the huge, ridiculous, uncompromising footspaces of base objects.
I am not saying I don't wish (And think) they should have done more and should do more for Bases ASAP... But I cannot agree with ranting on them for only taking things away and not doing anything in our favor.
Those changes were huge and magnificent and brushing those changes aside in a ranting post of attitude is a bit too off to simply nod and agree on the things we do agree upon.

Of course... all that now being said... *nods and agrees to agree with the things we do agree upon*

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ironblade No, you obviously don't. And I'm disinclined to explain it to a "flippin idiot". None taken. After that display, I couldn't care less what you think about me or anything else.

Well said Ironblade


Also... discussing personal housing (That would be separate from SG bases) does relate to this topic... as such an addition makes it more feasible to devote an issue to bases (As the OP and other replies have suggested).

I don't know that any issue need only be bases... All I care about is the bases getting the love no matter of the percentage within a particular issue. Ideally... They'd give everything and more that we want for bases and give other stuff to other parts of the game as well
Who am I to ask them to limit themselves


Carry on... carry on...

I've a question that might seem silly. But then, the only silly question is the one you don't ask, right?

So..it's actually a two-parter. Sneaky of me, I know.

1) Does anyone know what -can- be done to bring all this concern to the Devs?
2) Is anyone actually -doing- it?

Maybe part of the issue is that the devs think we are expecting a huge chunk of stuff all at the same time. I'd be happy if they could just give us a few small things each patch, or at least in some patches. Every new issue could include SOME stuff. I mean, emotes are fine and all, but how much do they really add to the game? Certainly less than a market interface for bases, or a tailor. It seems to me the time spent on one emote could be used to import some decorative items into the editor. I really find it hard to believe that minor moves like that would really make a huge dent in their schedules. A trickle over a long period is better than nothing at all.

So...

How about personal lairs. AND a SG base item that allows you to access personal lairs?

Like a doorway that can be placed in an SG base that, when clicked, allows transport to personal lairs. You'd see the character open the door and run in like all the other doors in the game, and they'd do a map change to their lair.

So you could either just have a separate lair from any SG, or play it like your lair is a part of the SG base.

Heck, a general "transport" door alternate look for teleporters and the base entrance would be snazzy.


-np

I wonder if the devs are avoiding making incremental improvements to bases because they're not entirely sure they want to keep the system in anything like its current implementation at all. Remember, the last major changes to bases were ones that nobody was asking for. The problems that base users have with bases are not the problems that the developers have with bases.

I'm fine with the existing editor for now. Although, I could live with a few improvements.

The problem is, the Devs might not be happy with it.

And if they're thinking they might overhaul the whole system at some point, that means they're probably reluctant to expend resources to make minor improvements to the existing one.



-np